AT-9906 Automated Systems For Child Support Enforcement: A Guide For States--Revised April 1999

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Administration for Children & Families
Office of Child Support Enforcement

AT-99-06

ISSUED: March 25, 1999

TO: STATE AGENCIES ADMINISTERING THE CHILD SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM UNDER TITLE IV-D OF THE SOCIAL SECURITY ACT AND OTHER INTERESTED INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS

SUBJECT: Automated Systems For Child Support Enforcement: A Guide For States--Revised April 1999

PURPOSE: This transmits the Automated Systems For Child Support Enforcement: A Guide For States [the Guide], revised February 1999. This document, required by 45 CFR 307.25[b], defines the requirements that States must meet to satisfy provisions of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 [PRWORA], related to child support enforcement program automation. Under PRWORA, States must have in effect a statewide automated data processing and information retrieval system which by October 1, 1997, meets all the requirements of title IV-D of the Social Security Act enacted on or before the date of enactment of the Family Support Act of 1988 [FSA88], and by October 1, 2000, meets all the title IV-D requirements enacted under PRWORA.

BACKGROUND: The Guide was originally issued in July 1987, for use by States in developing automated Child Support Enforcement [CSE] systems. A revised guide was issued with action transmittal ACF-OISM-AT-93-03 in June 1993 for the purpose of defining the requirements of FSA88.

The Commissioner, OCSE convened a work group in May 1997 consisting of representation from OCSE and State IV-D agencies to define the requirements for PRWORA. A first draft of the PRWORA system requirements was completed and circulated by workgroup members for input from their respective constituencies in November 1997. On April 8, 1998 we issued OCSE Action Transmittal 98-13. This Action Transmittal provided proposed functional requirements and revisions to the Guide for the statutory changes since the Family Support Act of 1988, including PRWORA, the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 and the Tax Relief Act of 1997 and solicited comments regarding the proposed requirements.

The proposed functional requirements were based on proposed regulations transmitted to the States through OCSE Action Transmittal 98-11. The final regulations were transmitted to the States through OCSE Action Transmittal 98-26. Following issuance of final regulations a final draft of the Guide was provided to IV-D agencies in November 1998. Following each iteration of the proposed requirements States and other interested parties provided numerous recommendations. Since that time, substantive and editorial changes reflecting State comments and final program regulations have been incorporated to the Guide.

DISCUSSION: This document supplements the June 1993 Guide by providing additional definitions, terminology and policy specifically related to PRWORA. It is the principal document for State use in developing PRWORA compliant automated systems, however, continued use of the June 1993 version is appropriate for States still working to meet FSA88 requirements.

The Guide defines the minimum functionality required of child support automated systems and establishes the certification criteria for States' use in meeting all Title IV-D requirements as prescribed by FSA88, PRWORA, and implementing regulations. Program and system regulations form the foundation of the Guide.

We plan to issue semi-annual updates to the Guide. States and other interested parties are encouraged to provide input regarding requirements and format for possible inclusion in revisions. Please provide comments via electronic mail to: rlogan@acf.hhs.gov

The Guide is also available on the internet at: www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/. At that address go to: Facts & Descriptions: State Systems.

REGULATION REFERENCES: 45 CFR Parts 302, 303, 304, and 307

SUPERSEDED MATERIAL: This Guide supersedes the Automated Systems For Child Support Enforcement: A Guide for States Seeking Enhanced Funding, Revised July 1987.

INQUIRIES: Director, Division of Child Support Information Systems [202] 401-6519

David Gray Ross
Commissioner
Office of Child Support Enforcement